From Wrestlemania to Top Chef, Pee-wee Herman's Long, Strange Trip to Netflix

The wait is almost over, Pee-wee Herman fans. Netflix announced today that Pee-wee's Big Holiday, a new film from Paul Reubens' alter ego, debuts on Netflix March 18.

It's been more than 30 years since the first Pee-wee film. When Pee-wee's Big Adventure hit theaters in 1985, the idea of Netflix was still 10 years off. That movie brought in more than $40 million, but the 1988 follow-up, Big Top Pee-wee, was less successful with a $15 million lifetime gross.

For the third film, which includes Judd Apatow as a producer, Pee-wee goes on his first holiday, though we would have thought his Big Adventure counted as a vacation.

For a character born on the improv stage of The Groundlings, Pee-wee's road to Netflix has been a long and strange one. While most know him from his films or his 1980s Saturday morning show, Pee-wee's Playhouse, some of the character's best moments have come outside his shows (like the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards).

In recent years, Reubens has brought Pee-wee to a variety of unexpected places. Here are some you may remember:

Monday Night RAW

In 2011, Reubens was prepping a return to his stage roots. He went on Monday Night RAW and got into a little tiff with The Miz—luckily he had The Big Show in his corner, and his outfit.

When Apple first introduced the iPad in 2010, many tried to figure out just what it supposed to be used for. In a video for Funny or Die, Herman and his Playhouse Gang tried to decipher its true value (we're pretty sure it's not as a coaster).

Top Chef

On this ninth-season episode of the Bravo reality series Top Chef, contestants had to make pancakes for a special guest judge.

Saturday Night Live

During the height of his popularity in the late 1980s, Pee-wee made a handful of appearances on NBC's venerable late night series. In 2011, he returned in one of Andy Samberg's digital shorts.

The wait is almost over, Pee-wee Herman fans. Netflix announced today that Pee-wee's Big Holiday, a new film from Paul Reubens' alter ego, debuts on Netflix March 18.

It's been more than 30 years since the first Pee-wee film. When Pee-wee's Big Adventure hit theaters in 1985, the idea of Netflix was still 10 years off. That movie brought in more than $40 million, but the 1988 follow-up, Big Top Pee-wee, was less successful with a $15 million lifetime gross.

For the third film, which includes Judd Apatow as a producer, Pee-wee goes on his first holiday, though we would have thought his Big Adventure counted as a vacation.

For a character born on the improv stage of The Groundlings, Pee-wee's road to Netflix has been a long and strange one. While most know him from his films or his 1980s Saturday morning show, Pee-wee's Playhouse, some of the character's best moments have come outside his shows (like the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards).

In recent years, Reubens has brought Pee-wee to a variety of unexpected places. Here are some you may remember:

Monday Night RAW

In 2011, Reubens was prepping a return to his stage roots. He went on Monday Night RAW and got into a little tiff with The Miz—luckily he had The Big Show in his corner, and his outfit.

When Apple first introduced the iPad in 2010, many tried to figure out just what it supposed to be used for. In a video for Funny or Die, Herman and his Playhouse Gang tried to decipher its true value (we're pretty sure it's not as a coaster).

Top Chef

On this ninth-season episode of the Bravo reality series Top Chef, contestants had to make pancakes for a special guest judge.

Saturday Night Live

During the height of his popularity in the late 1980s, Pee-wee made a handful of appearances on NBC's venerable late night series. In 2011, he returned in one of Andy Samberg's digital shorts.